The love of God for His chosen nation of Israel means that He must, in some sense, save Israel from her sin. God did not just burst into His creation and announce that He had chosen a few people to be His special treasure. The “choosing” meant that all the other aspects of God’s character and word, such as His holiness and righteousness and His words that the sinning soul must die, must also be satisfied. He could not forgive the sins of some without the penalty for those sins being paid. Further, His word of “faith” must also be satisfied, that “whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Salvation must be “reachable.” It cannot require an effort on the part of people since it will be found that none of those people is capable of the effort. Again, Deuteronomy (30:11-14; quoted and commented on in Rom. 10:5-13) helps us understand:
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
Thus, given God’s faithfulness and love, He will save Israel. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26-27, quoting Isaiah 59:20,21). How will God bring this about? To what extent will God go to bring about a saved nation? While we don’t have all the details, here are some passages that give us some info on God’s plan.
· Rev. 11:13: This passage speaks of a great earthquake in the great tribulation, after the ministry of the two great witnesses in Jerusalem mentioned earlier in Rev. 11. Many die in the quake, “and the rest … gave glory to the God of heaven.”
· Rev. 12:13-17: This passage speaks of the people of Israel, finding refuge in the wilderness, where God protects them from Satan’s attempt to destroy the nation.
· Jer. 31:1-4: This passage also connects Israel’s salvation with the wilderness. The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when I went to give him rest.” If you read the entire chapter you see various aspects of God’s future for the nation, including the New Covenant (31:31-34).
· Isa. 63:1-6: This passage speaks of the Messiah coming from Edom, the wilderness, with His robe stained with blood because He has fought for Israel when no one else would take a stand. The context fits with the future salvation.
· Other passages speak of this “wilderness” protection: Zech.9:14-17; Hosea 2:14-15 and Ezek. 20:33-44. Israel’s salvation will, of course, involve faith in the crucified and risen Christ, as there is other way: Zech. 12:10.
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